The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Almost Blue 2017
Various venues across Dundee and Broughty Ferry, June 30-July 1
Dundee is set to transform itself into Scotland’s music capital this weekend with the return of the hugely popular Almost Blue festival.
The city-wide event will see 28 venues hosting live music and staging around 100 separate gigs.
Now in its sixth year, Almost Blue has become a successor to the Dundee Blues Bonanza, which ran in the city for 30 years. However, unlike the Blues Bonanza, the festival is not just limited to one genre of music.
Last year, around 10,000 people packed into venues to listen to acts offering everything from jazz and blues to indie, folk, rock and country.
Starting tonight, from The Bank Bar in Union Street to Doc Ferry’s in Broughty Ferry’s Union Street, a huge range of musicians will be getting in on the act.
Across the city centre, pubs and venues will features the likes of top English outfits the Jed Thomas Band and Doc Brown and the Groovecats.
The Hexmen, are also returning while familiar names including Red Dawg, Dave Arcari, Boogalusa, Snakehips O’Donnell, Wire and Wool, Little Miss Debby and The G Men, Tupelo, RoseRock, Stevie Anderson and Dave Webster, Snappin’ Turtles, Al Hughes, Ed Muirhead, Sandy Tweeddale and the Blue Hyenas, RSM Blues will also be performing.
Young acts from the Gardyne Youth Music Initiative will showcase their talents throughout tomorrow afternoon at the Post Office Bar in Broughty Ferry.
Organiser Alan Wilson says he was inundated with requests from musicians across the UK, all clamouring to play the 2017 festival.
“Judging from the response from the people planning to come out for the gigs, it’s going to be another great weekend,” he says.
“It’s been a long slog to get everything in place as a few venues have either changed hands or closed down.
“But I’m hugely encouraged by the number of new venues asking to be involved in the festival.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of bands and solo acts from across the UK who have been asking to play, which shows how highly they rate Almost Blue.
“Of course there were far too many to accommodate this year – the list is probably long enough for five years of gigs – but hopefully a lot of them will play next year,” he adds.
Festival organisers have also said they are encouraged by the large number of acts attending this year, helping to make the festival one of the most important dates in the Dundee calendar.